Always striving to be transparent and sincere as I learn what the Love of God truly means. "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15)

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Family: Five Minute Friday

Another week, another chance to write on a one-word prompt for only
five minutes. We set timers, type quickly, and let it flow without
criticism. Then, we link-up our posts so we can read others' posts and
they read ours and we have a community that grows from one word each
week.Five Minute Friday.

Go!

Tonight's prompt is "Family". I come from a larger family. I remember my first Christmas away from "home". I was a newlywed with my husband, his sister, and his parents. I kept feeling like there was somebody missing. We've now been married 11 years. His sister married her husband a year after we were married. We have three girls and they have three boys, all fairly close in age. We had two overlapping pregnancies.

Though I have his family only 100 miles from our home (my parents and most of my siblings are over 400 miles away), our "family" where we live is our church family. My daughters are at a Christian school where I've been so blessed to teach this year. That is another part of my "family".My third family has come from the relationships that have sparked after beginning the Five Minute Friday journey in January. Through reading other peoples' blogs and leaving comments, and the same receipt of reads and comments, I have gotten to know some beautiful souls. I will definitely forget some if I try to list them...but you know that you touch my heart, friends. :)

These people will still be with me in eternity. As my friend Kristy refers to it, "eternal friends". But for some of these relationships, there is such a deep bond that it's not just friendship. It's family. When we rally around each other in prayer, we bond. We become family.

I've had friends in crisis recently. We spread the word and lifted them up and checked in frequently and they're finally coming home after a week and a half. We have become their family.

Family is who you do life with. Your "life group" at church can become your family. Ours has. We help each other with meals, moving, babysitting, and just listening when we need a friend.

I'm so thankful for the growing family that I'm a part of. There are so many people that I have yet to meet that will be part of my family forever!

And, if you want to keep connecting with me, would you list your url or linkup number when you comment? I won't be able to find you otherwise since bloglovin doesn't give me a blogger option. I guess wordpress is the best. Wish I'd have known that in 2011 when I started. :D

Tammy, I love the different parts of family God's surrounded you with! and I LOVED how you defined family as those people you do life with. We are never truly alone. And when God allows relationships to deepen to the point where there is intimacy in sharing, connecting, caring? That's something truly special.

Love you friend! So much THIS: " Through reading other peoples' blogs and leaving comments, and the same receipt of reads and comments, I have gotten to know some beautiful souls. I will definitely forget some if I try to list them...but you know that you touch my heart, friends. :)" I feel that way about our FMF crew too. I'm parked in the 16 spot this week.

Ah yes.. love this, friend! (And I feel ya on the whole WP vs Blogger deal... I started way back in 2006 and I am still on Blogger and every year I talk about switching over but...?) I am linked up at #64 this week!

Karrilee,Thank you. My love for blogger is there, though the problems or inconveniences are real. :DYou are such a sweet part of my family. Thank you for blessing me!!Love,TammyP.S. I was gone all weekend and I'll catch up on reading soon! :)

Hey, I'm your FMF neighbor this week and happy to become a part of the family and like your post! :) This blogging community is definitely part of family. I'm also blessed to teach at a local christian school and there is definitely a family feeling there. I just resonated deeply with many or your thoughts. God bless!

"Family is who you do life with"- so true and I love how your descriptions of the different people/ communities that can be family. I also love the idea of "eternal family" including people we've yet to meet (and I enjoyed listening to the song as I typed this). I'm at #71 this week.

Carly, I'm so thankful for you and that you're a part of my family now! :) So glad you enjoyed the song. The video is priceless, too. So beautiful and yet so dated!!Love,TammyP.S. I was gone all weekend and I'll catch up on reading soon! :)

Tondra, so glad that I could bless you with the music as well as the words!! :) I can't wait to catch up with all my family and their posts.Love,TammyP.S. I was gone all weekend and I'll catch up on reading soon! :)